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After asking Marion Planning Commission member Ruth Herbel whether the plans for a tower met city zoning regulations, the Marion County Commission approved a 45-foot, monopole communications tower to be constructed near the new jail.

The tower will cost the county $52,384. It will extend to 45-feet with the full length of the antennae. The commission originally wanted a 92-foot tower because it provided space for multiple antennas and to provide backup in case a repeater tower failed. TBS Communications Inc. representative Mark Graber said the tower should have no problem reaching or receiving from any of the repeaters in the county at the 45-foot height.

The tower will be galvanized steel. It will be surrounded by a fence to separate it from adjacent properties.

The next step for the project will be to apply for a conditional use permit with the Marion Planning Commission. Construction on the tower could start as soon as the end of October.